Highland Park Magnus

Highland Park is undeniably one of the top distilleries; that's a certainty. Nearly everything they produce, and they produce a great deal, is well-crafted. Given their affiliation with Macallan, it's unsurprising they release numerous expressions rapidly. However, Macallan doesn't maintain the same consistency as Highland Park. Highland Park Magnus is an excellent whisky, quite affordable, and sherry oak matured, contributing to its good complexity. Magnus signifies a Viking descendant, Magnus Eunson, the founder of this distillery, who began as a smuggler until the excise officers discovered the distillery in 1798, establishing that date for Highland Park. Bottled at 40% ABV, it has an amber color. Aroma: Smoke, plums, raisins, mint, dried fruits, vaporous smoke, very floral, heather. After the initial taste, I detected sea salt, dulce de leche, and rum raisin ice cream. Excellent. Palate: It is wonderful and sulfuric. Sulfur, salt, smoke, meat heavily seasoned with salt. The bite of this dram is remarkable, a true experience. Ashy. Aftertaste: Maintains the peatiness: smoke, pepper, cigarettes, coal, and ashes. Overall, this is a very well-balanced dram. The palate is its strongest aspect, which is challenging to achieve in whisky production. Typically, the aroma is where most whiskies gain points, and the palate is often a simple transition to the aftertaste. This is not the case here; Highland Park Magnus boasts a superb palate with a significant bite (especially if you appreciate peat). My rating is a balanced 23 points across all aspects, resulting in an overall score of 92 out of 100.

I usually adore Highland Park... but I'm unsure about this one. It appears slightly above average, at best. The aroma is quite strong. It smells like this is going to be a powerful one. The taste is dominated by a mellow, balanced peat smoke. It's not overpowering. Sweetness is present, but it's not as prominent as in Highland Park 12 year. Strangely, I detect some red fruit emerging towards the middle of the taste, perhaps from the sherry cask? This one isn't overly intricate, unlike many of Highland Park's other expressions. It's acceptable, but it's not outstanding. My honest opinion? Get a bottle of the 12 year instead, it's definitely worth it. But if you ever tasted Highland Park 12 year and thought to yourself: "Well, this is fine, but I really wish all I tasted was light peat with a background of sweetness," then this might be the spirit for you.

I enjoy the 12-year expression and find similarities here, though the 12 is much better in my opinion. Poured neat, the aroma presents citrus and smoke with a pleasant tartness. Malty and woody notes are also present. The taste offers more malt alongside light sherry-infused smoke, barrel influence, and gentle spice. It carries the characteristic rubbery resin and funky perspiration of the 12, but to a lesser extent, which I assume is intentional to avoid overshadowing the 12. The finish is satisfying and extended, with smoky citrus, malt, wood, and char continuing. The flavors lack profound depth but are rich enough to maintain engagement. This is a competent scotch, but its value proposition against the 12-year hinges on cost. If the price difference is $10 or less, the 12-year is my definite preference. If the price gap increases, this expression becomes significantly more interesting.....86/100

I'll admit, this is my first time trying a Highland Park. I've heard excellent things about them. Let's see how it is. The aroma is bright and slightly sweet with citrus (orange and some lemon), a touch of dried apricot, light malt, and peat. The taste is sweet and juicy with citrus, light apple, vanilla, malt, some pear, and lightly toasted almonds, plus a hint of jalapeño spice on the back of the palate. The finish has lingering vanilla and malt. The spiciness at the back of the palate persists to the end of a medium finish. A nice, refreshing spirit with some intriguing aromas; I just wish it had a higher alcohol content.

Aroma: pineapple, vanilla cream, citrus peel, honey, grass, light peat, decaying wood, rubber band, noticeable alcohol sting. Palate: tart apple, salty caramel, orange and cream, cocoa, astringent oak, honey, grass, subtle peat smoke, tangy citrus, distinct alcohol warmth, with a mid-length finish of woody bitterness, sour fruit, and caramel notes. This expression is significantly less pleasing than the 12 year. The impact of the bourbon casks is quite apparent, especially in the sweet vanilla and caramel notes. Although some pleasant tastes are present, they are overshadowed by a pervasive sourness and bitterness that take over the mouthfeel.

I got this expecting it to be like the excellent 12 year version, but it's different. Still, it's good at what it does. The nose is pleasant and soft with lemon, orange, and a faint smokiness. The palate offers more citrus and vanilla. The peat flavor becomes more prominent here. The mouthfeel is soft and not very rich. I thought this would be more intricate like its relatives from Highland Park. It's not bad at all, but this is the first time I'd call a bottle from this distillery straightforward. Enjoyable, but I won't buy it again.